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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. prune — to trim
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. stock — shares
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. object — an aim
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. board — to get on
  13. prune — to trim
  14. straw — dry grass
  15. mark — a trace
  16. straw — to clutch at straws
  17. mark — a grade
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. straw — a straw man
  20. object — a thing
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. stock — goods
  23. object — to protest
  24. safe — out of danger

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com